Max And Ella Stuck Together - Kristina Rahim

Max has 2 mums and loves them both dearly, but after being bullied for this and losing his confidence, his mums suggest he meet Hari, his 'dad', the friend who was the donor.  Meanwhile, Hari's daughter, Ella, is busy planning an end of summer hike for her and her parents. She's already worrying about school next year without her best friend, so when she's told she has to miss a camping trip with her to do this hike with Max and his mums, she's even more annoyed. But then, as the day gets going, things go wrong and it's up to Max and Ella to save the day.

I loved The Doughnut Club and the messages it conveyed (you can read my review here) so there was no question about me packing Max and Ella Stuck Together in my luggage this half-term.

Both Max and Ella are struggling for very different reasons: Max has been bullied about his mums which has caused him to lose confidence at an event with his band; he's now hoping that an old photo of Hari playing guitar at a concert means that meeting him will help to regain his own confidence. Meanwhile, Ella is struggling with the fact that her mum's job keeps her away more than she would like; she's also really worried about starting secondary school without her best friend.  Ella, in particular, is furious at the idea that Max is joining their final family hike of the summer and is determined not to make him feel welcome.  But as with many things in life, things don't always work out the way they were planned. 

Max And Ella Stuck Together is a story that reminds us that families come in many different forms; it shines a wonderful light on donor conceived children (read the acknowledgements for more on that) and reminds us that kindness is key.  It's a story about family, friendship and finding your confidence that will warm your heart.